Weathering Hypothesis For African Americans

The definition of weathering is to wear away or change in appearance or texture due to long exposure to air. This concept is also applicable to the human body. This is called the weathering hypothesis. The weathering hypothesis was coined by Dr. Geronimus, which states that African Americans in the United States experience early health deterioration, measured by biological indicators of repeated exposure to and adaptation to stressors (Geronimus, Hicken, Pearson, Seashols, Brown, & Cruz, 2010). Dr. Geronimus accredits racial disparities and stressful environments as contributing factors to the premature aging. However, there are many other reasons as to why the African American community is susceptible to early health deterioration and chronic disease (Geronimus et al., 2010). Some alternative contributing factors are early childbearing, low socioeconomic status, employment related health effects, racial disparities in health care, and
For instance, early childbearing can cause premature aging in the placental tissue and other organs because her reproductive organs are not fully developed yet. According to Spencer, there is a correlation between early childbearing and higher rates of depression. It is also associated with negative social outcomes such as limitation in educational achievement, prolonged unemployment, and economic hardship. African American women may also experience early health deterioration due to “their experience with racism and the consequences of disproportionate low socioeconomic status” (Spence, N. J. 2008). Low socioeconomic status is a large contributing factor in the acceleration of aging in African Americans. Socioeconomic status consists of numerous elements in association with health disparities, such as education, employment status, income, housing, and neighborhood. Socioeconomic status is similar to the “Domino Effect” where one element affects other elements in a